Calf-weaner.



C. B. WAGNER, JR.

CALF WEANER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22. I916- 1,267,482, Patented May 28,1918.

CHARLES B. WAGNER, JR., OF BURLINGTON, WISCONSIN.

GALE-WEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1918.

Application filed June 22, 1916. Serial No. 105,213.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES B. WAGNER, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Burlington, in the county of Racine and State of.Wisconsin, have invented certain new i and useful Improvements in Calf-Weaners, of which the following is a speci fication. i p v Thisinvention relates to improvements in calf weaners and similar devices,and has for one of its objects to simplify and improve the constructionand increase the efficiency and utility of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simply constructeddevice which may be applied to the nose of the calf without injury orannoyance to the animaland which will not prevent the ordinary feeding,while at the same time effectually preventing the calf from nursing themother.

l/Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists incertain novel features of construction, as hereinafter shown anddescribed and then specifically pointed out in the claims; and in thedrawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention-Figure 1 is a view of the head of a calf with the improvement applied;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation with the nose engaging portion inopen position;

-Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2 with the noseengaging device in closed position;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44: of

orresponding and like parts are referred to in the following descriptionand indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same referencecharacters.

The improved device comprises a guard or body portion 10, substantiallypanduriform in shape and concavo-convex on every line of cross section,as shown. Extending upwardly from the body portion is a coupling member11 having a flat face and provided at its lower end with a transverseeye adapted to receive a suspension loop 12, said loop by engagementwith the eye forming a pivotal connection between the coupling member 11and the body portion or guard proper. The intermediate portion of thesuspension loop 12 is preferably disposed in a horizontal plane, whilethe opposite ends thereof are bent to form diverging arms which areriveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the concave face of the bodyportion'lO, as best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The loop 12therefore not only forms a pivot upon which the body portion 10 may rockbut the diverging terminals of the loop serve to reinforce andstrengthen the body portion and prevent denting or other mutilationthereof. Extending laterally from the flat face of the coupling member10 is an inwardly curved arm 16 terminatin a spherical knob 17, therebeing a similar arm 13 pivotally mounted at 15 upon the fiat face of thecoupling member 11 and having a corresponding knob 14. By having the arm13 pivotally mounted on the coupling member in this manner the knobs Mand 17 may be distended to enable them to engage on opposite sides ofthe septum portion of the nose of a calf or other animal to which thedevice is to be applied. The inner or pivoted end of the arm 13 isprovided with a transverse opening which registers with a correspondingopening formed in the flat face of the coupling member 11 so as topermit the insertion of a cotter pin or similar fastening device 18 bymeansof which the knobs 1 1 and 17 are prevented from spreading afterthe weaner is in position on the animal. It will thus be seen that thebody portion 10 partly incloses the nose of the animal and effectuallyprevents said animal from nursing the mother cow while at the same timethe body portion is free to swing outwardly when the calf lowers itshead in the act of feeding. The presence of the device does not,therefore, interfere with the ordinary feeding of the animal and doesnot annoy said animal. The guard being suspended from the loop 12 isfree to swing thereon and when the animal lowers its head to feed theguard engages the ground and rolls outwardly and upwardly away from thenose and allows the animal to freely graze. It will be noted that thebody portion or guard 10 is free from sharp edges or surfaceobstructions which would have a tendency to cut or lacerate the head ofan animal to which the device is applied. By making the body portionconcavo-convex on every line of cross section when said body portion isswung rearwardly and upwardly the concave face thereof will conform tothe shape of the nose and mouth and thus prevent injury thereto.Furthermore, it will be noted that the attaching loop 12 is disposedentirely within the lines of the marginal edge of the body portion 10and as said body portion is curved longitudinally as well astransversely the attaching loop cannot come in contact with the nose ofthe animal. The body portion or guard 10 is preferably pressed fromsheet metal and is galvanized or otherwise coated to protect the samefrom corrosion.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A calf weaner comprising a solid concavo-convex body portion having asmooth continuous convex face, a suspension loop having an intermediatehorizontal portion and terminal attaching arms bearing against andrigidly secured to the concave side of the body portion, anose engagingmember provided with an eye fitting around the horizontal portion of thesuspension loop, a mating nose engaging member pivotally connected withthe first-mentioned member, there being registering openings formed insaid nose engaging members, and a locking including an intermediatehorizontal portion and diverging attaching arms,.a-nose engaging memberhaving a flat face and provided with an eye fitting around the lorizontalportion of the suspension loop, a

mating nose engaging member pivotally mounted on the fiat face,therebeing registering openings formed in the. flat face and pivoted endof the last-mentioned nose engaging member, and a locking deviceextending through said openings for holding the nose engaging members inclosed position. 1 a

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES B. WAGNER,v J11. I [1,. s]

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Yatents,

Washingtonfl). 0.

